Orange County has another series of DUI checkpoints the week and weekend of Sept. 15-18th, 2016. OC DUI Checkpoints Costa Mesa, Irvine, Buena Park, Tustin 9/16 will take place in the cities of Irvine, Costa Mesa, Tustin and Buena Park, as follows:
Irvine DUI Checkpoint 09/15/2016
The City of Irvine had a DUI checkpoint on Thursday, September 15th, 2016, from the hours of 8pm to 2:00 am. The DUI Checkpoint in Irvine was the last of a grouping of 10 grant-funded checkpoints. It was located at the intersection of Alton at Irvine Center Drive during those hours.
Costa Mesa DUI Checkpoint 09/16/2016
The City of Costa Mesa will have a DUI checkpoint from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 16th, in Costa Mesa. The location was not announced. It will be within city limits, and usually are along Newport Boulevard in the City.
Tustin DUI Checkpoint 09/16/2016
The City of Tustin also announced a DUI checkpoint on Friday, September 16th, 2016. It is from the hours of 7pm to 3:00 am. The DUI Checkpoint in Tustin did not have an address or intersection listed, but is within City Limits.
Buena Park DUI Checkpoint 09/16/2016
The City of Buena Park will have a DUI checkpoint on Friday, September 16th, 2016, from the hours of 7pm to 3:00 am. It was announced in a press release. The DUI Checkpoint in Buena Park is located on Knott Boulevard, and Noritsu Avenue, which is near the 91 Freeway.
OC DUI Checkpoints Costa Mesa, Irvine, Buena Park, Tustin 9/16, like all DUI checkpoints, have been held to be legal in California, as long as certain criteria are used in setting up the DUI check point, as follows:
- Decision Making at the Supervisory Level
- Limits of Discretion of Field Officers
- Maintenance of Safety Conditions
- Reasonable Location
- Reasonable Time and Duration (No Fixed Roadblocks)
- Indicia of Official Nature of Roadblock
- Length and Nature of Detention
- Advance Publicity
Without a checkpoint, officers typically have to be able to show that they have probable cause to stop and detain a driver. This means observing one of the following:
- A traffic violation;
- A defect in the vehicle that effects safety, or
- A driving pattern that indicates the driver may be driving drunk.
However, DUI checkpoints are not effective when compared to the more efficient saturation patrols. (Saturation Patrols are when officers drive and specifically look for violations of the law). In most cases in Orange County, a DUI checkpoint will get no more than 1-2 arrests, compared to the 10 times more arrests in the cases where officers are allowed to conduct saturation patrols.
The funding of DUI checkpoints is partially to blame. Both the California OTS and the Federal NHTSA contribute grant money in large amounts to fund DUI checkpoints, but not Saturation Patrols. MADD also favors DUI checkpoint, and contributes money and volunteers.
If you have questions about a DUI Checkpoint in Orange County or the laws regarding Irvine DUI cases, or any OC DUI Checkpoints Costa Mesa, Irvine, Buena Park, Tustin 9/16, please contact our firm any time. We are here to help you.